This paper explores the context and rationale for my interest in establishing IUAS as a means of bypassing persistent organic pollutants. While urbanization is usually thought of as a demographic or economic phenomenon, it does have major negative ecological consequences. From the perspective of ecosystems integrity, cities significantly alter natural bio-geo-chemical cycles of vital nutrient resources. Within a social context, this dilemma is then further perpetuated through peoples' negative perception of agriculture as a means of employment, the populations' disassociation of food from the source, and business' short-sighted economic goals.
By targeting an urban population's health-belief model of how modern agriculture plays a destructive role in altering the environment and ultimately their own lives, their locust of control can evolve toward a more autonomous state. Then liberation education theory can be used to effectively implement and perpetuate this innovative means of reducing persistent organic pollutants in their food.
Because of its applied systems approach to the areas of biology-chemistry-physics, and engineering, IUAS can be used as a powerful educational tool through its hands-on approach for demonstrating these principals. IUAS promotes an inexpensive, low-tech approach to innovation through readapting readily available resources.
When set up as an actual mini-farm, IUAS has enormous potential to become a tool for promoting community organizing/development through economic, environmental, and social reform. Specifically it has the capacity to provide the benefits of nutritional improvement, enterprise development, and environmental enhancement. Urbanites can then use this method of agriculture to convert degraded/vacant lots into healthy green areas.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the information, skills, behaviors, or perspectives participants will acquire through attendance and participation. Participants will acquire the information necessary to create and operate an integrated mini farm. Utilizing a low-tech approach toward innovation, various principals of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering will be applied toward aquaculture, hydroponics, alternative energy production, and alternative farming methods by recycling, readapting, and integrating readily available resources. 2. Clearly identify the outcomes or actions participants can expect to demonstrate as a result of the educational experiences. (use action words) Participants will be expected to identify, analyze, and evaluate the various resources, nutrients, and energy flows present within the natural and man-made environmental systems of the integrated farm. Apply the project as a tool for promoting community organizing/development through economic, environmental, and social reform. More specifically by through providing the benefits of nutritional improvement, hunger reduction, income generation, enterprise development, and environmental enhancement. 3. Learning objectives: a. List the principals of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering present within the integrated farming system. b. Develop a better understanding for environmentally sustainable methods of food, fuel, and fiber production and the various resources that are needed to support them. c. Define the social and behavioral change theories present or that can be applied to effectively utilize the project as a tool for community organizing and development. d. Apply the various systems within the project toward the resources that are available within their own community. e. Use the project as a means of promoting community organizing/building through enteprise development, social reform, and environmental enhancement. 4. Teaching Objectives a. Faculty will explain and discuss urban integrated farming systems,and the need for them. b. Faculty will discuss the various environmental, social, and economic aspects of urban integrated farming systems. c. Faculty will discuss the relationships between urban integrated farming systems and community development/building, environmental justice, and sustainable agriculture. d. During this session, faculty will conduct focus groups to identify and develop community resources available to initiate an integrated urban agriculture system within participant communities
Keywords: Community Building, Self-sufficiency and Empowerment
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none at this time
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.